Milk strainer



p 1,949- I D. o. BRANT 83,000

MILK STRAINER Filed July 16, 1946 DAVID. 0. BRANT,

' INVENTOK ATTORNEY Patented 27 i 1 949 L j I UNITED v"STATES -'*'PATEN'T fOF'FICE MILK srnAINEa 7 David 0. Brant, Beverly Hills, Calif. application July 16, 1946, Serial No. 683,917 I Y This inventionrelates to a milk strainer. Speaking more specifically theinvention pertains to a milk strainerof the type described and claimed in my Patent #2,340,302,'dated February 1,1944, andalso to an improvem'ent'uponthe structure disclosedin my pending patent Serial No. 510,359, filed November'15, 1943 which ma-.

tured in Patent-2,410,010, October 29, 1946.

By the present improvement a better structure is provided for? (1) Holding the sheet of straining fabric in position in a safer an d more satisfactory manner so that it will remain in proper straining position and will be in lessdanger of having holes formed in it orthin spots produced by the current of milk. 7

(2) A more efiicient means for clamping the marginal portion of the strainer sheet in place.

(3) An improved tubular outlet spout which can be regulated in such a manner as to maintain good straining speed and at the same time prevent the milk within the strainer from bear-' ing down too heavily upon the straining fabric;

By improving the straining structure in the foregoing particulars increased quantities of cleaner milk are delivered from the strainer at a more uniform rate of flow throughout the entire straining period. Also the construction of the strainer is further simplified, cost of manufacture lessened, the strainer is rendered more durable, less frequent repair thereof is necessary, and the time required for changing the remov able elements when it is necessary to clean them, is reduced.

It has been found that, in strainer structures, a metal liquid delivery spout, either in the shape of a straight tube, a vena contracta or venturi, is easily bent and broken off also that it is expensive or difficult to form a; bowl and its de livery spout from a single piece of metal, and soldering one part to another is in many sections not permitted by the milk inspectors. By this invention these objections have been overcome by the provision of an improved, detachable rubber delivery spout. 1

Another specific object is to provide means for converting an elastic tube either into a vena contracta spout or a venturi spout, as desired.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear. Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the inven- 4 Claims. ('01. 210%159) upon :which it is mounted being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the combined removable strainer clamp member, and prestrainer element.

r Fig. 3 is a longitudinal mid-section on an enlarged scale of the upperportion. of'the outlet tube, the plane of section being indicated by the line 3-3 on Figj4.

Fig. 4 is a plan'view of the structure shown in section in Fig. 3. 1 Fig. 5 is a perspective .view of the fabric laminated straining disc,an. edge portion ofthe upper and of the lower layers thereof being everted to disclose more clearlythe interior structure of the disc. .j i Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on line 6-6 of Fig.5. 7 g Referring in detail to the] drawing, the prin-. oipal parts of the structure shown are themilk reservoir or bowl III, the laminated'strainer disc ll located within the lower portion of said bowl in, the removable pre-strainer and disc clamp 1-2, and the flexible,'det achable elastic milk delivery tube 3-inserted centrally in the outlet portion of the bowl l0 andforming a delivery spout therefor. The upper part of the bowl [0 is provided with diametrically opposite handle loops I l and the lower part of the bowl is provided at three or more points with out-pressed ribs [5 designed to engage the upper Portion of the milk can It and to provide air clearances between them. Continuing with the description of the bottom portion of the bowl and proceeding toward the central outlet thereof, an upper and horizontal outer step I! isprovided and below this a horizontal inner step [8, there, being a substantially vertical wall surrounding said step. When the laminated strainer disc l I is first put into the bowl its marginal portion overlies the outer step ll, Then the basal rim or ring [9 of the strainer disc clamp I2 iscrowded down upon the marginal portion of said disc ll thus'forcing it into the clamped-in-place position shown in Fig. 1. When putting said clampl2 into place the operator will grasp the inclined top run 20 of the strap metal handle 2|, which has a long leg Ma and short leg Zlb. Disposing the run 20 of the handle at an inclination enables the operator to reach and manipulate the handle more easily from one side of the bowl. As the clamping member I 2 often sticks tight and-resists removal, itwill be seen that the task is eased by having the handle attached at the outerv rim and further increasing the leverage by having the handle long and at aconvenient pulling angle, so that one hand can pull on the handle while the other hand can press against the top rim of the bowl, thus permitting a maximum pull.

A metallic, foraminated pre-strainer disc l9a carried by the rim I9, being shown as an integral part thereof. When the clamping member I2 is in place this disc snugly overlies an upper fragile fabric .portion Ha bound together by starch or other -suitable-material, which holds in place its fibers or filaments during the downflow of the liquid therethrough. Said disc is provided with a middle untreated portion llbsupported by a fabric gauze I I0. When the clamping member I2 is put in place the peripheral portion of the fabric disc i I is thereby turned up at -right angles from its fiat surface and is held secure by a jam fit between the rim of the clampingmemher and the inner surface of the strainer bowl.

:Below the .IOWBI sstep {i8 "fthe 'hOttOIIL'OT the bowl I!) is provided with a, downwardly tapered bottom 22 having atitslowerextremitya central circular discharge opening. surrounded by -a short or narrow annular lip 23.

An important feature .ofthe invention resides in the provisionofthe already mentioned elastic outlet tube 13, all .except :the .upper portion of which is of a sufficiently small diameter to be inserted downwardly through the annular lip 23, the upper end portion of said tube having a diametrically expanded "head 2! which in mounted position is-flat on top but which has its lower side so tapered as to snugly fit against the upper surface of the :bottom portion of the bowl, as shown in Fig. 1. From the upper face of the head Z-G preferably integral with said head, upstand a plurality of elastic fingers 25, all of saidfingers being substantially-of the same length and all of them having =flat upper ends to abut against the lower side of the strainer disc II to aid in supporting said disc.

When the outlet tube "It is in the unstressed condition shown in Fig. 3 the inner and outer diameters of the upper portion of the tube which occupies a position within the strainer progressively increases to-some extent and'the fingers 25 inclinesomewhatawa-y from each-otherwhile the head 24 is positioned with its lowersurface substantially horizontal; but when the tube l3], after having its lower portion freely inserted downwardly through the discharge opening surrounded by the lip 23, is grasped by the operator below said lip and is -forcibly pulled-downwardly into its completely seated position, said upper portion of the tube is caused to be pressure contracted by the lip 23, thus producing a liquidtight seal between {the lip-and the tube, and at the same time causing the "wider surface of the head 24 snugly to overlie the bowls bottom circumjacent to its discharge opening, and in turn vertically positioning the fingers 25.

In order to control and vary the quantity of liquid delivered from the tube 13 in a given unit of time a constrictor ring 2 6 having an internal diameter considerably less than the external diameter of the inserted tube is slipped thereover. By varying the position of said ring lengthwise of the tube a considerable difference is caused in the-rateof milk outdiow. The external diameter of the lower end of the tube is slightly increased by providing a peripheral :bead 21 to guard against slipping off of said ring.

The aforesaid flexible rubber tube I 3, which can :be readily removed by hand from the strainer bowl, lowers the cost of manufacture, simplifies the strainer structure and prolongs its life and usefulness. Said tube can be contoured from the straight to a vena contracta shape or given the shape of a venturi. Hence, by placing the metal ring 26 in the desired position a variety of tubes, so far as function is concerned, can be produced from the single tube shown.

In the operation of the device, after the bowl [0 has been placed upomamilk can the rubber tube with its headed end uppermost is forced down through the bowls outlet, before the ring '26 is put in place upon the tube. By grasping the ipartlyqinserted tube below the bowl while the bowl is in a canted position on the top of the can, said tube-may be jerked into place, bringing its head intoa liquid tightrelation to the outlet portion of the bowl. The ring 26 may next be placed upon the lowerend of the tube l3 and adjusted vertically to the desired position thereon. Thereupon, with the bowl operatively-replaced -on the can, the fabric strainer disc willbe deposited in the bowl with the peripheral part of :the disc resting upon the circular-step 11. Then the clamping member 12 will be crowded down upon said disc H bringing the latter into its clamped-in position shown in Fig. 1, ready for receiving milk to be strained. By proper :positioning of the ring 26 lengthwise of the tube 1'3 the milk pressure canbe regulated as to prevent either -an upward or downward'injurious bulging of the strainer disc I l during the straining operation.

1 claim: 7

1.-In a strainer,-a rigid bowl having a bottom part, tapering to a reduced opening, a resilient tube detachable connected with the -bowl, said tube extending *through'and depending from the opening in the bottom of the bowl, an annular flange on the upperend of said tube seated on the tapered bottom of the bowl, a filter element mounted in a plane transversely of the tube in the bottom-partof the-bowland spaced abovethe tube flange, and aplurality of fingers rising from said tube flange so as to support the central portion of said filter element.

2. A strainer 'as clai'ind' in claim 1 wherein said tube flange is integral with the tube and has adiminishing taper radially from its inner to its outer edge in conformity with the bottom tapered part of the bowl,-a-nd said fingersare integral with the tube flange for removal as -a unit with the tube.

3. In a strainer, -a rigid open top bowl having the bottom provided with a dropped annular shoulder and apart tapering downwardly from the shoulder to a central opening, an elastic tube extended through said opening and depending from the how], an annular flange -,on the top end of said tube seated -on a-nd tapered in conformity with the tapering part -of the :bowl 'so that the top of the flange is in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tube, a filter supported on said shoulder, and a plurality of fingers formed on and projecting upwardly of 'said tube flange to support the central part of the filter.

4. A del-ivery'tube for connection with the bottom outlet of -a strainer bowl comprising an elastic tube having aradialannularflange integral with the top thereof and integral filter support fingers rising from the flange, said 'tubeha-ving the major length thereof from the bottom end to a point short of the top endsubstantially cylindrical and the length above said cylindrical part tapered so that the top end of the tube is of greater diameter whereby said tapered part will be contracted when slidably inserted into the outlet of the bowl to a substantially cylindrical form corresponding to the bottom cylindrical part for holding the tube in fluid tight engagement with the bowl.

DAVID O. BRANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Way Jan. 28, 1873 Number Number Number 

